JEDDAH, 11 June 2004 — After holding fifth position recently among 51 Arab rally drivers during the fourth round of the Middle East Rally Championship in Amman, Jordan, Saudi Rally Dream Team drivers Issa Al Dossari moved into fifth in the overall standings after 4 of 8 rounds, with fellow Saudi Ahmed Al Sabban too on fifth after finishing seventh in the rally.
Following many retirements and withdrawals in the Jordan rally, the two Saudi drivers strove hard to give their best to collect points. Top drivers Qatari Nasser Al Atiyah, Omani Hamid Al Wahibi, Jordanian Amjad Farah and Cypriot Andreas Tsouloftas were still in the fray.
“We really fought very hard and I kept trailing Al Wahibi for most rounds unfortunately a flat tire kept me behind but I continued to keep myself among the best five,” said Al Sabban as finished seventh with a time of 3h 40m.5s to share the fifth position in the championship with his teammate Al Dossari with 12 points.
Al Dossari, who won the best Saudi driver award in the rally, said “I managed to find a pace which kept me ahead without taking any risks but the end was not what I was expecting. Anyhow, being in the fifth position was not bad at all and I could have gained more points if I participated in Oman rally.”
The two Saudi drivers who are supported by Al Rabie Company and Middle East Center (MBC) will now take the 12 points to the all-tarmac fifth round of the series in Lebanon in July.
